Detachable latch apparatus.



L. L. LONGSHORE.

DETACHABLE LATCH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1913.

1,090,867. Patented Mar.24,1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO" WASHINGTON. D. c.

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LEROY LESLIE LONG-SHORE, 0F FORT "WAYNE, INDIANA.

DETACHABLE LATCH APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24;, 1214.

T 0 all'wliom it may concern Be it known that I, LEROY L. LONGSHORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detachable Latch Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a latch apparatus adapted to support an object, such as a boat or the like, when the same is suspended thereby and to automatically release the same when the weight of the object or boat is taken off of the apparatus, as when the boat is lowered into the water.

An important object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character, which will be reliable and entirely automatic in its releasingoperation.

Other objects and advantages of this in vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete apparatus, Fig. 2 is a similar view of the apparatus, with one side plate removed, Fig. 3 is an edge view of the complete apparatus, and, Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

1n the drawings wherein isillustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral (3 designates a preferably triangular body portion or casing, having its base disposed lowermost. The casing 6 comprises oppositely arranged side plates 7 and S, spaced by lugs or ribs 9 and 10, preferably formed upon the side plate 7. The casing G is provided. at its apex or upper end with an opening 11 for receiving a link 12 or other element, connecting the same with a support, for example, a boat-fall or crane. The casing 6 is further provided at its lower end and adjacent the apex thereof with an opening 13, for receiving a flexible element (not shown) for a purpose to be described.

ll'flounted within the base or lower portion of the casing 6 is a detachable holding lever,

14, pivoted between its ends by means of a pin or screw 15. At one end. the detachable holding lever 1a is provided with a notch or opening 16, receiving the lower beveled end of a locking bell-crank lever 17, which is mounted within the casing 6 and is pivoted upon a pin or screw 18. The pins or screws 15 and 18 also serve to hold the side plates 7 and 8 together. ther suitable means ma be employed for this purpose if desired. ne arm of the locking bell-crank lever 17 extends outwardly beyond the casing 6, forming means whereby the same mav be reset. The rib or fiange 9 to the right serves as means to limit the swinging movement of the bell-crank lever 17 in that direction. Connected with the detachable holdmg lever let upon the left side of the pivot 15, as shown at 19, is a retractile coil spring 20, having its opposite end attached to a pin "21, fixedly connected with the side plate 4, as shown. Connected with the upper arm of the locking bell-crank lever 17, to the left of the pivot point 18, as shown at 22, is a retractilc coil spring 23, the lower end of which is attached to a stationary pin 24, preferably formed upon or carried by the side plate 7. The lower end or base of the casing 6 is provided with an upstanding slot or opening for receiving a link or loop 26 or other attaching element, which is connected with a boat or other object to be supported and released, (not shown). The pin 2-1 serves as a stop to limit the upward movement of the detachable holding lever 14.

By providing the opening 13, I may attach a cable or other flexible element to this corner of the casing 6, said element be ing connected with one side of a dump bucket, the handle or bail thereof being connectcd with the loop 26. However it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is in no sense restricted to this use, nor

. is it restricted to the use in connection with boats alone, as the same may be advantageously employed for supporting and releasing any weight or object.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Assuming that the link or loop 12 is connected wit-h a suitable support and that the levers 14 and 17 are set, as shown in Fig. 2, then the weight (such as a boat or the like) connected with the loop or link 26, will be securely suspended or supported. When the apparatus is lowered until the weight is no longer supponed by it, such as when a boat is lowered into the water, the spring 20 will at once swing the left end of the detachable holding lever 1st upwardly, the right end of this lever moving downwardly whereby the locking bell-crank lever 17 is released, the spring 23 moving the lower arm thereof toward the right lug or rib 9. By raising the casing 6 or by pulling upon the loop 26, the left end of the lever 14 will be swung downwardly, whereby the loop 26 will be moved out of the opening 25 and will slip oif of the free end of the lever 1 It is obvious that by drawing the left end of the lever 14L downwardly and swinging the upper arm of the bell-crank lever 17 upwardly, such levers may be returned to their locked or set positions.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with an approximately triangular body portion having its base arranged lowermost, of a normally horizontally arranged holding lever provided at one end with a notch, means pivotally connecting the holding lever between its ends with the body portion, a spring con nected with the holding lever to swing the holding end thereof upw rdly, a locking bell-crank lever having its lower end adapted to enter the notch formed upon the holding lever with its upper end extending outwardly beyond the body portion, and V a spring connected with the upper arm to move the same downwardly.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a casing provided near its lower end with a recess, of a holding lever pivotally connected with the casing and having the holding end thereof traversing the recess, an element surrounding the holding end of the holding lever and extending into the recess, a retractile coil spring connected with the holding end of the holding lever to swing such end upwardly when the same is released, a bellcrank lever pivotally connected with the casing and having its lower end detachably engaging the opposite end of the holding lever with its upper end extending outwardly beyond the casing, a retractile coil spring connected with the upper arm of the bell-crank lever and adapted to swing the same downa suitably stiff retractile coil spring connect ed with the casing and the link engaging end of the holding lever to swing the same upwardly when the weight is removed from the link whereby the locking lever will disengage the holding lever and said holding lever be free to swing to allow the connecting element to move out of the transverse opening and oif of said holding lever.

4. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a substantially triangular body having its base arranged lowermost, a normally substantially horizontally arranged holding lever pivoted to the body near its base, a spring connected with the holding lever to swing one end thereof upwardly when the load is removed from one end thereof, and a locking lever pivoted to the body above the holding lever and having one end thereof adapted to engage with the opposite end of the holding lever.

Apparatus of the character described, comprising a body, a normally approximately horizontally arranged holding lever pivoted between its ends with the body, means for positively swinging one end of the normally approximately horizontally arranged holding lever upwardly when the load is removed from one end thereof, and a locking lever pivoted to the body above the holding lever and arranged at approxi mately a. right angle thereto withits lower end detachably engaging the opposite end of the holding lever.

In. testimony whereof I atfiXed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEROY LESLIE LONGSHORE. Witnesses RoBnR'r P. CONNOR, Earn E. Enwanns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of' Patents. Washington, D. G. 

